


and i count my blessings like i count your heartbeat

by earlgrey_milktea



Series: tumbl drabbles [4]
Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Friendship/Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Tumblr Prompt, good times only
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-11-22 00:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 4,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18127409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgrey_milktea/pseuds/earlgrey_milktea
Summary: Nico and Will are two points on opposite ends of a spectrum. But they orbit each other just the same. They balance out and fit together like pieces of a puzzle they hadn't even known they were missing.[collection of solangelo ficlets crossposted from tumblr]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> just archiving my fave "someone will die - of FUN!" pairing ficlets that people requested from tumblr! the responses to my sparse dabbling in this fandom has been really kind, so thank u xx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _"You are so beautiful..." (Nico deserves the world)_

It was Hazel’s idea, and then Leo got wind of it and of course had to blow it out of proportion, and Frank is just an enabler. So now here Nico was, sitting on a blanket in the grass, under the summer sun, stubborn scowl on his face and a sandwich in hand.

“What do you have against picnics?” Will asks him. He’s sitting beside him on the blanket, carefully weaving together some flowers while one of his younger siblings continuously dumps more flowers into his lap. Nico wonders if they’ll feel the wrath of a Demeter child soon.

“They’re outdoors,” Nico says, “and in the sun, and involves people.”

“Three of your most hated things,” Will teases.

Nico rolls his eyes. He squints into the distance where Jason and Leo are chasing Piper around with water guns, while Hazel and Frank are filling up water ballooons. It’s a very nice day, and for once there are no monsters causing a ruckus. The restless itch remains under Nico’s skin, but a larger part of him doesn’t mind the quiet of it all. It’s as if they’re just teenagers at a normal summer camp.

Something falls onto his hair. He jumps, hands going up to his head, but Will stops him. He’s wearing that sunny grin of his, the one that practically shouts  _son of the sun god!_  and Nico has to blink rapidly.

“What did you put on me?” 

“Just a flower crown, Death Boy.” 

Nico frowns. He reaches up to pull it off, but Will gently tugs his hands back down. “Solace,” he growls.

“It suits you.” Will’s blue eyes reflect the skies above, and the threat Nico has prepared dies on his tongue. “You… you’re so beautiful, Nico.”

Nico forgets how to breathe.

“Nico and Will are flirting!” Will’s little sister darts off, giggling all the while. Will immediately turns cherry red, and Nico has a stray thought of amusement at how easily the other boy blushes, but then Will is reaching for him again, adjusting the flowers on his head, and Nico can’t blame the sun for the heat on his cheeks.

(Except he can, technically, because Will’s the son of the sun god and Nico almost wishes he was out chasing a monster instead. Almost.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160494018245/either-solangelo-or-valdangelo-you-are-so)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _For solangelo please can you write an almost first kiss? So they're getting really close but something interrupts them and Nico has an internal freak out like w t f just happened- and then awkwardnessss I'm a sucker for awkward solangelo_

“Solace, get that away from me or else—”

“It’s just a bandaid!”

It’s a good thing the infirmary is empty save for the two of them, because they’re currently in a very compromising position. Will is leaning over Nico, struggling to stick a bandaid on the— _tiny_ , barely even noticeable and definitely not bleeding anymore—cut on Nico’s nose. Nico struggles underneath him, trying to kick at him but Will doesn’t budge. There’s an arm braced against Nico’s chest, and his own arms are pushing back at the other boy wherever he can reach.

“What do you have against bandaids?” Will asks, chest heaving.

“I don’t need it,” Nico deadpans. “And that one is bright pink, which really clashes with the whole dark overlord look I’m going for.” 

“I think it suits you—oomph.”

Nico pulls his fingers back, smug while Will rubs his ribs. But then Will is eyeing him with that mischievous smile again, and Nico barely has time to throw his arms up before Will is attacking him with the bandaid again. Except this time, Will has a secret weapon: tickling.

“Will, no—!” Nico gasps, trying to dislodge Will’s hands around his middle, but he’s too busy shaking with laughter. He really hates Hazel for telling the boy about how ticklish he is.

“Will, yes!” 

Eventually, Nico grabs Will’s arms, stopping his movements. They both gasp for breath, stupid smiles on their faces, when Nico makes the mistake of looking up. Will’s face hovers above his own, freckles everywhere, a golden halo spilling from his head until it brushes Nico’s forehead. Blue eyes stare back. Then they flick down to his lips, and Nico forgets how to breathe.

“Hey, Will, another Ares kid got stabbed in the are—Uh. Did I interrupt something?”

Nico and Will spring apart, Will stumbling off the bed and Nico rolling over to face the wall. He listens to the sound of Will bumbling around for materials, ignoring Percy’s stare on his back as he tries to remember how to human. His face feels too hot. He can still feel the weight of Will on top of him, and the beautiful blush across freckled skin. 

“Nico? You alright?” Percy’s voice is amused behind him. “Need a little time to cool down?”

Nico slaps his hands to his cheeks, and groans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160528552605/for-solangelo-please-can-you-write-an-almost-first)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _pls could you do actual solangelo first kiss? Xx_

It’s after dinner as everyone is wandering over to the campfire when Nico tugs on his arm. Will follows, curious, because while Nico is slowly becoming more comfortable asking for things— _wanting_ things—he’s still not one to intiate things. He lets Nico pull him into the shadows behind the dining pavillion.

“Nico? What’s—”

“Hold my hand,” Nico demands, holding out his hands.

Will, dumbfounded but more than willing to comply (he’s not about to pass up a chance to hold his boyfriend’s hands! If only he could have recorded that moment so he could shut Cecil up when his friend teases him), does. As soon as his hands close around Nico’s, he realizes his mistake.

“Nico, no—!”

There’s a swirl of shadows, a sharp dizzying feeling, like his entire body is floating and yet his sense of gravity is missing, and then he’s slamming to the ground with Nico sprawled on top of him.

Groaning, Nico pushes himself up until he’s perched on Will’s legs. “Gotta work on the landing.”

“Nico,” Will scolds, “I’ve told you no shadow-travelling unless it’s necessary! You’re still recovering from the last mini-quest Chiron sent us on—”

“Yeah, yeah.” Nico stands, offering Will a hand. He gestures in front of them and glances away, but he doesn’t retract his hand. “Thought you might want to see this.”

They’re on the hill, the statue of Athena casting a large shadow behind them, while the sun drops in the horizon in the distance. Will’s seen sunsets before, he’s seen the sun fall into sparkling waters on the few outings he’s had, and when his father was here, he’s seen a few interesting sunsets, too. But right now, standing in the quiet dusk as the sky shifts from orange to pink, with Nico’s hand in his, Will can honestly say this is the best sunset he’s ever witnessed.

“Is this a date?” 

Nico elbows him. But even in the golden glow of the setting sun, Will can see the signs of Nico’s blush: averted gaze, rapid blinks, scrunched up nose, how Nico tilts his head just slightly to the left. 

“Hey, Nico,” Will says softly. The sun’s almost completely gone now, but this far out, no one will bother them for a while. Not even the nymphs. “Can I kiss you?”

Dark eyes widen, before disappearing briefly. Nico nods, biting his lips, glancing back up at Will again. For a heartbeat, neither of them moves. Will’s not sure how to do this. He’s kissed people before, but none of them had been  _Nico_. Irrationally, he’s afraid of messing this up.

“Will,” Nico says, and Will blinks at him. Nico’s pulling back his hand, and Will panics, thinking he’s already messed up but wait that doesn’t make sense— “Will,” Nico says again, his hands coming up to hold Will’s face, and he gives him one last look before diving in.

Will forgets about the sunset. He forgets about the rest of the camp singing songs and sharing melted marshmallows, how his siblings are probably wondering where he is. He forgets about how Cecil and Lou Ellen are definitely going to tease him later. He forgets everything except Nico, the gentle pressure of Nico’s fingers brushing his jaw and the warmth of Nico’s waist under his hands.

When they finally pull apart, the sun is gone, the sky turning a lazy purple. Will grins down at Nico, whose face is flushed a soft pink. 

“Best date ever,” he says, and he laughs even when Nico shoves him a little too hard and he goes tumbling down the hill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160533829395/i-loved-that-solangelo-drabble-pls-could-you-do)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHIPPAROONIRES asked:  
>  _... maybe you could just do a short solangelo Drabble?? It's just that you get the characters so bloody right and it's hard to find fanfics like that!!..._

Will finds Nico in the Hades cabin, sitting on the floor next to his bed, an assortment of cards laid out in front of him. He doesn’t even look up when Will enters. 

“Hey, Death Boy,” Will says, sitting down next to him. “What are you up to?”

“Don’t call me Death Boy,” Nico replies absentmindedly. He pulls the first two cards on his hands and places them onto a deck towards his right. “I think I might sell these. Or give it to the younger kids.”

Will peers down at the cards. He blinks. “Aren’t these your Mythomagic cards? You love these things!”

Nico shrugs. “It’s not as fun when you’ve met the real things, you know?” He nudges forward a Zeus figure by his crossed legs. “This guy for example. Less of an all-powerful king and more of a whiny baby.”

Will winces. He hopes the skies don’t open up anytime soon. He leans forwards until his shoulder bumps against Nico’s. “You sure though? I know how much effort you put into collecting these.” He pauses, glancing at Nico’s profile, the long dark lashes and the way his curls fall over his eyes when he looks down. “It’s okay to keep things that aren’t weapons, you know.”

“I know,” Nico says. He puts down the deck of cards in his hands and leans back, tilting his head so it rests on Will’s shoulder. “But it’s okay to let things go, too.”

Will stays quiet. It’s been a while since they realized that Nico was here for good, and that it was okay. It was rough going, and for a while, Will was worried he’d wake up one day and find the Hades cabin dark and Nico gone. But Nico had stayed, and slowly, the rest of camp had gotten used to his quiet presence, the Apollo table even securing a permanent seat for him, his infirmary recognizing Nico as a steady presence. Being able to hear Nico says such things now, with such a quiet certainty, Will counts his stars every day and thanks them.

He reaches out and slips his hand into Nico’s. A smile rises on his face when he feels Nico squeeze back. They stay like that, breathing soft and slow, until they both drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post[here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160600053060/hello-im-your-anon-daughter-and-i-was-just)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _Omg please can you do Nico asking Will on what would be their first date outside camp? They're already a thing but I like blushy and unsure Nico_

“Will.”

Pausing at the rare usage of his first name, Will glances up to find Nico hovering by the doorway. The infirmary is quiet this time of day, most of the patients sent back to their cabins after a quick patching up. Only a child of Hermes is still occupying a bed in the corner.

“What’s up, Nico?” Will frowns as a thought occurs to him. “Did you hurt yourself again? I’ve lost count how many bottles of unicorn draught I’ve given you—”

“I’m fine,” Nico interrupts. He’s glancing around at the walls, the beds, the cabinets, anywhere except at Will. His eyes are squinty, and his hands fidget restlessly at his belt where he keeps his swords. 

Will puts down the clipboard in his hands. He knows when Nico has something important to say but needs a little bit of a push. “What is it, Nico? Or did you just miss my company?”

“Shut up, Solace,” Nico says. He sighs. “I just, uh. Would you—Would you like to come with me. To. Somewhere.”

“Somewhere?”

Nico makes a vague gesture with his arm. “You said you wanted to go shopping a while ago, right? So I thought. Maybe. We could… go together?”

Will tilts his head. “You mean… outside of camp?”

“Yeah.”

“But—”

“I already asked Chiron for permission,” Nico says in a rush. He’s still refusing to meet Will’s eyes. There’s a pink tinge to his cheeks now, and Will feels something fluttering in his chest. “He said it’s fine as long as we come back by curfew, and we run instead of engaging in battle—”

“Nico.”

Nico closes his mouth, gaze flicking up towards his. He’s definitely blushing by now. Will can’t help it—he grins. 

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

A pause. Then Nico spins around and strides out the door.

“W-Wait, Nico!” Will’s a horrible person, but he can’t wipe the giddy grin off his face.

“Tatarus’ balls,” comes a muffled voice from the occupied bed in the corner. “Go chase after your boy and let me sleep in peace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160638369575/omg-please-can-you-do-nico-asking-will-on-what)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon asked:  
>  _Will's siblings have to use something on Nico in the infirmary when Will's not there and it makes him really delirious and honest- and he accidentally escapes and totally embarrasses will at dinner by declaring his love/kissing him senseless. People have to drag him out of his cabin the next day bc he's so embarrassed lmao_

Will only left to grab a plate of dinner. He hadn’t eaten since lunch as a new batch of campers arrived with monsters on their tail. And then Nico, of course, had to go and get himself hurt retrieving two little boys on the edge of camp.

That’s not fair though. Nico being selfless and protective and ridiculously badass is what makes him Nico and Will loves him for it. 

Speaking of Nico, there he is now, coming at him at—full speed?

“Will! Wiiiiillll!” Nico doesn’t stop until he’s launched himself at Will, forcing Will to put his plate down on the nearest flat surface to catch the shorter boy. “Will, there you are!”

“Here I am,” Will agrees, arms wrapped around Nico’s waist reflexively so they don’t fall flat on their backs. “What happened? Do they need me in the infirmary? Why are you out of the infirmary, you’re supposed to be resting—”

“Will Solace,” Nico says suddenly. He pulls back, and Will blinks at the serious face that greets him. “Will Solace, I have something to tell you.”

“Uh, okay?”

Nico leans in closer, until Will can see the silver flecks in Nico’s dark eyes. He’s only noticed them recently, and it’s pretty darn captivating. “Will Solace,” Nico whispers, and Will is suddenly aware of the many, many eyes on the both of them holding each other in the middle of the dining pavilion.

“Nico, maybe we should—”

“Shhh,” Nico insists, and his head comes a little too close, knocking against Will’s nose. He doesn’t break his stare. “Will Solace,” he repeats again, and Will’s body betrays him with a tiny shiver at how easily his name rolls off Nico’s lips. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I love you a lot, Will Solace. Do you know that? I need you to know that.”

Will’s sure his entire face is red by now, and the murmurs and cooing that breaks out around them isn’t helping. Nico’s still saying his name in that dizzying way, and Will can only glare in the direction of the infirmary. He can see Kayla running towards them. 

“Too high a dosage,” he tells her, and she offers him a smile that looks more like a grimace.

(The next morning, when the side effects wore off, Will had to enlist the help of Jason to drag Nico from where he’s hiding under his bed, muttering about shadow-travelling to Antarctica and never coming back.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160639961450/solangelo-prompt-wills-siblings-have-to-use)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _Can you write a Solangelo fic where Nico's about to go into an epic battle or some huge quest and as he's saying goodbye to Will, Will kisses him for the first time and makes blushing mess (Neeks) promise to stay alive? (Wooow that was a mouthful)_

“Okay, I’m gonna go.”

“Wait.” Will grasps his arm, rooting him to the spot. He’s blinking rapidly, glancing from side to side. A nervous habit. Nico waits. “Um… I just…”

Nico sighs. “Spit it out, Solace.”

“Hey, I’m trying to show how much I care about you.”

“Show it faster, I need to go.”

Will takes a deep breath. “Okay, okay. Look, just… promise you’ll come back alive?”

Nico looks at him. He takes in each familiar freckle, those stupidly blue eyes, the way his golden curls flop over his forehead like an angel or something. He looks away. “Yeah,” he says, but it’s cut off when suddenly, a pair of lips meets his own in a soft, sweet kiss, and he gasps.

Will pulls back, giving him a small smile. “Okay. Go knock them dead, Death Boy.”

Recovering, Nico scoffs. They both ignore the pink staining their cheeks. “Who do you think I am?”

(Twenty meters away, Ellis stands with his heavy wooden practice sword hefted over his shoulder, a look of impatient disgust on his face. “It’s just a mock-battle simulation exercise,” he says. "This is ridiculous.”)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160670481405/can-you-write-a-solangelo-fic-where-nicos-about)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> motivatedcryptidtamer + anon asked:  
>  _Can you write a Solangelo fic about your favorite headcanon for them? / Bc I love your interpretation of solangelo so much I was wondering if you could write a drabble of any one of your solangelo headcanons x_

Nico doesn’t look up from his book when there’s a knock on the door. A moment later, Will’s face peeks around the door, and Nico sighs, waving him in.

“Hey, Neeks,” Will says, shutting the cabin door behind him. It’s as silent as a graveyard in the Hades cabin, as usual, but unlike the eerie hollow silence as before, it’s more of a peaceful, safe silence away from the usual ruckus outside. 

“Don’t call me that,” Nico replies, flipping a page. He doesn’t move as Will makes himself comfortable on the bed next to him. “Thought you were leading the Arts and Crafts today.”

“Leo showed up,” Will says, and Nico winces in sympathy. He can imagine the smoke and sparks and sparkles already.

Will shifts, and then he’s flopping over Nico’s lap, stretching like a cat. Nico lifts his book so Will doesn’t smack it out of his hands. He looks down at the other boy, noting the shadows under those blue eyes, the weary downward tug on those familiar lips. 

Nico lowers a hand into the blond curls, watching as Will’s eyes slip shut at the touch. “Take a nap,” Nico tells him. “I’ll wake you for dinner.”

“You don’t mind?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Will’s eyes open slightly, and he smiles at him, all soft and stupidly adorable. “You take such good care of me.”

Nico ruffles his hair until Will laughs, swatting lightly at his hand.  _You do the same,_ Nico thinks, but out loud he says, “Go to sleep, Solace, before I make you.”

“Okay, okay.” Will closes his eyes. He’s still smiling, and Nico isn’t surprised to find an answering smile on his own face. “Thanks, Nico.”

Nico hums, returning to his book. His hand continues to pet Will’s hair, until gentle snores fill the silence of the Hades cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160706532925/can-you-write-a-solangelo-fic-about-your-favorite)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _For Solangelo could you write the first time Nico ever kisses Will in front of their friends? Nico's not one for PDA at all so it's a big step ygm_

His eyes are still closed and his face too pale, so pale his freckles stand out sharply on his skin. Nico’s hands hover, uncertain, shaking, the roar of his increased heartbeat in his ears. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

They’ve managed to kill the monsters and get some ambrosia into Will but Nico can’t help but worry. Will has never been this quiet before. He’s always moving, ready to help, legs bouncing even when they’re sitting. Nico can count the number of times he’s seen Will without some sort of smile on his face and he would have fingers leftover. This is one of them. 

It must have been only a few minutes, though to Nico it felt like hours, when blue eyes blink open. A grimace crosses Will’s face as his senses return to him. “Wh—What’s going—?”

“Will,” Nico says, and Will’s eyes flick over to meet his, falling silent at the look on his face. “Oh, thank the gods.”

“Nico—?” Will’s voice is cut off when Nico suddenly leans forwards, pressing their lips together briefly. He blinks, dazed, as Nico knocks their foreheads together, and stays there. Wordlessly, Will reaches up and holds him back.

Their friends are still around them, picking up after themselves and patching each other up, but Nico pays them no mind. Will’s here, warm,  _alive_ , and that’s all that matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160817187080/i-love-your-writing-for-solangelo-could-you)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _Solangelo babysitting Chuck please omg!!!! And Nico always denies it but he's super good with kids so Will catches him and the baby having a tender moment and is like...o shit I'm in love_

Will comes back with their lunches to find Nico on the floor of Coach Hedge’s tiny cottage, little satyr baby balanced on his stomach, cooing delightedly. For a moment, he just stands there, watching his boyfriend bounce the infant up and down, murmuring, “Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Really?” in response to Chuck’s nonsensical babbling. The sight does funny things to Will’s heart.

He coughs, stepping into the room. “I, uh. I’m back.” 

Nico jerks slightly, hands keeping the baby from falling as he whips his head to look at Will. He underestimates the distance between his head and the floor, though, and there’s a loud  _crack!_  Both he and Will winces at the sound.

“Don’t,” Nico says, sitting up slowly, “Don’t say a word.”

Will puts down the food, pressing his lips together to keep from smiling too hard. “I wasn’t going to,” he says, kneeling down to check Nico’s head.

“You were,” Nico insists. He keeps still and lets Will shift his hair to check for a bump. Chuck giggles, reaching up with his tiny arms to pat at Nico’s chin. Nico catches Chuck’s arms and shakes them gently, a smile on his face.

Will forgets what he’s doing and just stares, his own lips curving into a smile.

Nico catches him, but this time, he doesn’t say anything. He just rolls his eyes and scoots over to allow room for Will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160923374540/solangelo-babysitting-chuck-please-omg-and)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _OMGOMGGG SOLANGELO AND JASON/PIPER DOUBLE DATE PLS_

“I don’t understand why we had to come along,” grumbles Nico. He pulls his hood lower over his face, until only his fierce scowl is visible.

“For moral support,” Jason replies, “and backup. I heard this satyr’s accidentally hit jackpot—not just one but  _four_  demigods to shepherd. Poor guy.”

“You could just throw them a smile and say some pretty words and you’ll be back at camp with no trouble,” Nico tells Piper.

She shakes her head. “My charmspeak doesn’t work that well against younger demigods. Come on, Nico, weren’t you complaining about being all cooped up at camp? Here’s your chance to have some fun!”

“And with your boyfr—”

Jason goes down with a strangled squawk as Nico chucks his empty Happy Meals box at his head. Just in time, too, because there Will is, coming back with a strawberry sundae. He slides into the chair next to Nico.

“Here,” Will says. “You can eat first.”

“Thanks,” Nico says. He already has a scoop of ice cream in his mouth when he looks back up to find Jason and Piper beaming at him. Nico groans, tugging his hood down again. He doesn’t let go of the ice cream, though.

Will glances from Nico to their friends across the table. “Did I miss something?”

“No!” Nico says quickly. He glares. “Nothing at all, right guys?”

“Nothing,” agrees Piper. “Just thought that this trip has been very… sweet.”

Jason laughs, high fiving Piper while Nico attempts to drown himself in strawberry syrup. Will tilts his head, puzzled, but he’s wearing that sunny smile of his, and secretly, with no small amount of reluctance, Nico has to agree with Piper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/160995181560/omgomggg-solangelo-and-jasonpiper-double-date-pls)
> 
> #let nico be roasted by his friends like any dumb teenager who has friends and isn't running for their lives on a daily basis 2k19


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _Can you do a solangelo where will spends the night in the hades cabin and then they're really embarrassed_

Will hadn’t meant to fall asleep. 

He’d just been very tired last night. He’s been working nonstop at the infirmary,  _his_ infirmary, and there had been a lot of kids that needed patching up after the round of capture the flag with the Roman kids. Will should know better, and it’s not like he doesn’t trust his siblings, it’s just. A complex, maybe. Anyway, all he remembers from yesterday is that he’d stumbled into the medicine cabinet one too many times, and Kayla had finally had enough, shoving him out the door and into Nico’s waiting arms, telling him to “get some rest before you come back, or so help me.”

And now he’s… here.

Here is inside the Hades cabin, lying in Nico’s bed, an arm trapping him under the covers and something warm pressed against his side. Will blinks again, just to make sure he isn’t still dreaming.

The body beside him shifts, and Will turns his head to find himself face-to-face with Nico’s throat. He freezes. Nico swallows, and Will watches his Adam’s apple bob slightly with the movement. 

“Uh,” he says. “Nico?”

Nico stirs. The arm thrown over Will’s chest moves, and then groggy brown eyes are staring down at him. “Oh,” Nico says, yawning. “Good morning.”

“Good, uh, good morning to you, too.” Will pushes himself up slowly. He does feel better rested than he has in days, but he can feel heat quickly rising in his cheeks. “Um. This is—I mean, thanks for, uh, taking care of me last night?”

“It’s fine,” Nico says. He seems to be waking up more rapidly now, shifting backwards to put some space between them. “I thought here might be quieter than your cabin, and then I couldn’t wake you up, so…” He shrugs, eyes anywhere but Will’s face. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah.” 

They both stare at separate walls, pretending the blush on their cheeks doesn’t exist. Will can imagine what his siblings will say and the raised eyebrows their friends will give them, but he can still feel the warmth of Nico against him. He risks a glance back and finds the other boy already watching him.

Face still flushed pink, Will chances a smile. “Want to get breakfast with me?”

Nico looks away, but there’s a small smile playing on his lips, too. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](http://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/161062610120/can-you-do-a-solangelo-where-will-spends-the-night)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anon said:   
> _Solangelo getting almost-steamy for the first time and then breaking it off when it gets too much and being like whaaaat just happened_

 

Will’s back is pressed against the wall of the Hades cabin, hard enough to be uncomfortable but at the moment, he’s a bit preoccupied with the feeling of Nico’s lips against his own, trying to find the perfect angle to keep breathing but also keep this beautiful boy in his arms for as long as possible. One of Nico’s hands is fisted around the hem of his shirt, while the other is doing its best to mess up Will’s hair. Will can’t really complain, as his own hands are exploring Nico’s back and the curls at the back of his head. There’s heat between them, teeth on swollen lips and breaths intermingling with utmost urgency.

He’s really really glad that Nico lives here alone. 

Warm fingers suddenly brush against the exposed skin of his hips, and they both jerk away from each other. Nico’s eyes are darker than usual, and his breaths coming in uneven pants. Will’s probably not faring any better. His cheeks feel too hot.

“Uh,” he says, running a hand through his hair. It feels thoroughly mussed; he’s half-afraid to look in the mirror. “That was…”

“Shut up, Solace.” Nico looks away. He readjusts his black shirt, tilting his head down and letting his hair shield his face.

“Sorry,” blurts Will. “I didn’t mean for it to go that far. Or hard. Wait no, that doesn’t sound better—”

Nico huffs through his nose. He lifts his head to aim a glare at Will, and they both ignore the flush on his cheeks. “Don’t make this any more awkward than it is, Will. I’m fine. You’re fine. Right?”

“Right.”

“Okay. I’m going to head down to the arena for a bit. See you.”

“See you.”

Will waits until the door slams shut behind Nico before he sinks down to the floor of the Hades cabin, head in his hands, laughing weakly to himself. It takes him twenty whole minutes before he deems himself composed enough to return to the infirmary.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](https://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/161329473130/solangelo-getting-almost-steamy-for-the-first-time)
> 
> i literally cannot write anything rated higher than a T so like. awkward laughter,, lots of blushing,,


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anon said:  
>  _It's soppy but i would love Nico telling Will that bianca would have loved him bc apparently I like to cause myself pain_

 

Nico watches Will light the sparklers, telling the little kids to stay away and wait their turn. Every one of them have been exposed to things scarier and more dangerous than fireworks, but Will warns them just the same. Nico finds it endearing.

“Don’t point them at each other!” Will says as the last kid peels off with a sparkler in hand, cackling with glee. He glances over at Nico. “Are all children of Hephaestus this scary when they laugh?”

“It’s the mad scientist gene,” Nico tells him.

Will laughs, and even though the sea breeze is chilly at night, Nico feels warm like he’s standing under the summer sun earlier this afternoon. He hates how sappy this boy makes him. But he loves how happy this boy makes him.

Standing back up, Will hands Nico a sparkler, too. Nico takes it, but he’s watching the way the light reflects off Will’s blue eyes. He swallows.

“Bianca would have loved you,” he finds himself saying.

Beside him, Will stills. Nico keeps his gaze on the sparkler. The sparks flit about almost frantically, vibrant as the distant laughter further down the beach. Something warm presses against his side.

“I’m glad,” is all Will says, and when his arms come around Nico’s middle, Nico lets him, holding the sparkler away from their skin. Will’s head comes to rest on Nico’s shoulder, and Nico watches the tiny fireworks in the distance, feeling soothing warmth spread through him like sunshine.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post [here](https://puddingcatbae.tumblr.com/post/161478355665/its-soppy-but-i-would-love-nico-telling-will-that)

**Author's Note:**

> find me @puddingcatbae on tumblr/twitter


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